Choosing a Summer Camp

 

Image courtesy of Chrisroll / http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Although, we people here at Starlight Labels tend to think that we're all there is to Camp, sleepaway camp decisions start long before the parent thinks about Camp Labels.

 

So you’ve decided that this is the year that you’ll be sending your kid off to camp for the first time.  Did you know that there are upwards of 3,000 camps in the USA with more than 7,500 programs and over 23,500 sessions.  So, how do you know which camp is appropriate for you?

 Lots of it comes down to research, but before spending lots of time browsing for camp and questioning other parents, sit down with a pen and paper and list the following:

·        Figure out your family’s needs.  Do you want a camp with shorter or longer sessions?  Are you a working Mom that can’t take off time during the summer to supervise your kid and need him away for a longer period?  Can you send him to a local daycamp or family members when he’s not in sleepaway camp.

·        Figure out your child’s needs.  Do you feel he needs the camp experience to foster independence, improve social skills or get away from an urban setting.

·        Does he have any special interests that you’d like to target?  Is there any special interest that you’d like to foster in him?  There are tons of special interests camps out there and one of them is sure to fit your interests.

·        Does your child have special needs (including but not limited to physical limitations, allergies, mental issues, medications etc.)? If so, will the camp cater to them?

·        Do you want coed or boy and girls?

·        Do you prefer closer to home or is location not an issue?

·        What is your family’s budget? Remember to include the cost airfare and camp supplies and some extra change.

Now that you have narrowed down the possibilities you can compile a list of possible camps and start the research.  Checkout the camp’s website, request a brochure, visit the campground, speak to the camp staff and speak to former parents.  When speaking to camp staff, try to get the feel if they are child friendly.  That means, is every child important to them?  Is their aim to give each child the optimum camp experience.

There are several camp directories and guides which can give you easy access to camp listings and basic specifications of each camp to help you narrow it down and get information in one site.  Categories include boy, girl, coed, number of weeks in session, number of campers, single focus camps, special needs camp, faith based camps, costs and more.

There are Camp Referral Services out there who will help you choose a camp.  They are free but there is a catch.  They are paid by the camps to promote them so they are not totally without bias.

Following are some national camp directory listings:

http://find.acacamps.org/

http://www.mysummercamps.com/

http://www.camppage.com

http://www.allensguide.com/

http://www.campresources.com/

There are many local camp directories focusing on specific states, counties and regions.  Check them out if you're aiming for a region specific camp.

 

In summary, choosing a summer camp should be taken seriously.  The sleepaway camp experience is one that will have an impact on your child for life.  Your child will reap lots of benefits if he’s ready for the experience and you'll be thankful for money well spent.  So get to work and do some research.  Good luck!

Most importantly don't forget, once you have a camp all picked out, don't forget about Camp Labels by Starlight Labels.

 

Disclaimer:  There are many more camp guides available online.  The author does not claim that there is any benefit in using one over the other but rather is listing that were researched.